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BIOLOGY 9 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: East Los Angeles College, Biocoenosis, Nature Reserve

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orangemarten224
16 Jun 2020
School
ELAC
Department
Biology
Course
BIOLOGY 9
Professor
Canales

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Document Summary

Ecology: the study of all processes influencing. Interactions between living things and the environment. Ecology has been called a social science and it"s terms and descriptions are usually borrowed from those describing human societies. However, natural ecosystems allow us to illustrate the components and processes that are common to all ecosystems. The first task of any analysis is nomenclature. Species: the different kinds of living things in a community. All individuals are like one another, but are distinct from other groups. Which are grouped into families, orders, classes, phyla, kingdoms, and domains. The official species name is latin and has two parts. All members that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Members of different species generally do not breed. This definition does not work for organisms that do not mate to produce offspring. Population: a number of individuals that make up the interbreeding, reproducing group. It refers only to individuals of a species in an area.

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Related Questions

Check the Course Announcements at the beginning of the week following the deadline for Part 1 to discover exactly what happened to the deer population on the Kaibab plateau. This information is essential for completion of Part 2.

The second part of your project is to take what you've learned about the Kaibab forest ecosystem and write an accurate description of the boom and bust of this deer population, using correct ecological language. Consider as many of the aspects of these events as you can. Be sure to consider the effects on the other species in the ecosystem as well.

Refer to your on-line materials and the appropriate sections of your textbook. Your discussion should include (but not be confined to) consideration of all of the following concepts: carrying capacity, predator/prey relationships, population cycling, resource partitioning, competitive exclusion, fundamental and realized niches, food chains, food webs and trophic pyramids.

Note that the purpose of this exercise is for you to demonstrate to me that you understand these important concepts of ecology by utilizing them accurately and appropriately in the description of the disaster in the Kaibab forest. Your essay must include both clear indications that you understand the meanings of these principles and clear indication that you understand how these principles can be used to describe what happened to the ecosystem on the Kaibab plateau.

information given of part one: On the north rim of the Grand Canyon, an area called the Kaibab plateau, there is a conifer forest called the Kaibab forest. The forest's trees include pine, fir and spruce. Shrubbery includes a variety of willows, raspberries, etc. A hundred years ago, this forest was a stable ecosystem, housing, among other species, a population of about four thousand mule deer.

These deer were hunted by local Native Americans, who used them for food and other materials. They were also hunted by predators like pumas, wolves and coyotes.

In 1906, the US made this region into a National Game Preserve. With the intent of protecting the deer, hunting was forbidden. Bounties were paid for killing the pumas, wolves and other large animals that preyed on the deer. By 1925, more than 6000 predators had been killed, virtually wiping out the ecosystem's large predators.

*Read the instructions* for Part 2, then consider this additional information about the Kaibab forest.
There are some hints in here to suggest the *minimum* range of the subjects you need to discuss to explain this; You will need to read the chapters and the course materials to understand the meanings of these concepts, and to be able to use them to explain the Kaibab disaster. There are other important concepts as well--so keep your eyes open as you read. It wouldn't hurt to go back and read the original description in Part 1, either. And you may find it necessary to do some quick browsing in areas of your book not directly related to ecology. (For instance, you might just want to do some looking into the nature and importance of the bark and twig ends on a tree.) Do not neglect the on-line essays which are provided for you in this Unit. What you should *not* do is Google the Kaibab, or look it up on a source like Wikipedia. This is not about what you can *discover* about the Kaibab forest.
Your grade will depend upon how completely you convince me you understand the concepts involved in this description. This is your test on ecology--your goal is to convince me that you understand the concepts and terminology of the subject, and can apply them to a real life situation.
Before we go on to the new information, there are a few things that came up as I was grading the Part 1 submissions which I think I should mention, just to keep you from straying in some incorrect directions.
First, remember that your concern is the fate of the Kaibab forest in the *immediate* sense--over tens of years, not thousands. There are no evolutionary issues here, at least in the short term (and that's your concern right now). So we won't be talking about adaptive radiation.
Also, keep your focus on the *Kaibab forest*, not on other ecosystems. Oh, and remember that the Kaibab is pretty isolated--emigration really isn't a reasonable alternative for the species living in this forest.
And finally, until we get to Part 3, the only human interaction we are considering is the initial decision to put bounties on those large predators, which led to their near-extinction in the area. You will be thinking a bit about human hunters trying to control the deer population toward the end, but the rest of the time you're just concerned with the natural processes going on in the ecosystem.
Okay, now on to the actual description of what happened in the Kaibab Forest as a result of killing almost all of the large predators. Remember, your task in Part 2 is going to be to describe and explain all of this using the concepts of ecology which you are learning in Unit 2 of the course.
*****
The primary, most immediate outcome of the removal of the predators from the ecosystem was that the deer population exploded, because the loss of the normal predator populations removed a primary source of population control. And the expanding deer population ate a *lot.* [Hint: explaining this requires discussion of population cycling, predator prey relationships and carrying capacities.]
As the deer population got larger and larger, their impact upon their favored food plants became extreme. They ate a much larger percentage of each year's plant populations, and they ate a larger portion of each individual plant. They also began to eat more from the plants which they didn't like so well--plants normally consumed by other herbivores in the ecosystem. In the winter, the starving deer ate about anything remotely resembling food, including twigs and bark from trees. As a result of the destruction of many of the twig ends of the trees, the spring tree growth was inhibited (why?). The stripping of the bark caused the death of some of the trees (why?). The extreme browsing on the herbaceous plants caused shifts in the plant population diversity, as the deer drove many of their favored plants into extinction within the ecosystem. [Hint: Explanation here will need to include discussion of resource partitioning, competitive exclusion, and realized vs. fundamental niches.]
All of this also impacted upon the rest of the animals in the ecosystem, since many of them depended upon the same kinds of food the deer ate, or depended upon the foods that the deer were eating because they could no longer get the food they favored. Then of course, the smaller predatory species (like foxes and owls) depended upon the health of those populations of small herbivores (like rabbits and mice). [Hint: sounds like food chains, food webs and trophic pyramids come into this part.]
After a couple of decades, the ecosystem was quite altered. The plant community was very different from what it had been before, and the deer herd, though not extinct, was composed of significantly smaller and weaker deer than the herd from the 1890s. (This was partially due to their straightened circumstances re. food, but also partially due to the absence of predators. Why would the removal of the natural predators cause this change in the general vigor of the deer in the herd (and why would the substitution of *human* hunting not exert the same positive influence)?)
Okay, the next phase of your assignment is to describe all the things going on in this ecosystem using the proper terminology that you should be learning from studying this unit of the course. Note that your use of terms like, for instance, "resource partitioning" needs to show that you understand not just what the concept means, but how it is reflected in this specific ecological disaster. Feel free to discuss this as much as you want to on your Discussion Board. Don't ignore the little questions tucked into the above description, and pay attention to those hints. Your response must demonstrate proper understanding of these concepts and how they are demonstrated by the disaster in the Kaibab forest.
This is the largest part of your exam project; your response should reflect the fact that this is a 50 point "essay" question. You are given a lot of organizational clues and hints about what issues you need to include in the information above. Make use of those things.

It's a quiz for my life science class.

QUESTION 1

Organisms that have descended from the same initial group and have the ability to interbreed belong to the same

A.

species.
B.

family.
C.

class.
D.

genus.
E.

order.

5 points

QUESTION 2

The simplest entity that exhibits all of the properties of life is called a(n)

A.

molecule.
B.

cell.
C.

organism.
D.

tissue.

5 points

QUESTION 3

In populations, adaptation usually arises through

A.

responsiveness.
B.

heredity.
C.

metabolism.
D.

natural selection.
E.

development.

5 points

QUESTION 4

Scientists have found that ancient fossils

A.

are less similar to present-day organisms than more recent fossils.
B.

are just as similar to present-day organisms as more recent fossils.
C.

are more similar to present-day organisms than more recent fossils.
D.

are very similar to present-day organisms.
E.

bear no resemblance to present-day organisms.

5 points

QUESTION 5

What is the term that describes the study of the relationship between living things and components of their environment?

A.

herpetology
B.

analogy
C.

zoology
D.

ecology
E.

ichnology

5 points

QUESTION 6

Characteristics usually associated with life include all of the following except:

A.

motility.
B.

a high degree of organization.
C.

lack of change from generation to generation.
D.

reproduction.
E.

responsiveness to stimuli.

5 points

QUESTION 7

The scientific name for the black-footed ferret is Mustela nigripes. The name Mustela indicates the _____________________ to which the organisms belongs.

A.

phylum
B.

class
C.

family
D.

species
E.

genus

5 points

QUESTION 8

Which of the following is considered to be the most basic living unit?

A.

organ system
B.

molecule
C.

organelle
D.

cell
E.

tissue

5 points

QUESTION 9

Which of the following concepts best describes the wide variety of dog species we observe, ranging from the domesticated golden retriever or the basset hound, to the wild dogs of Africa, to foxes?

A.

preadaptation
B.

special creation
C.

inheritance of acquired characteristics.
D.

taxonomy
E.

evolution

5 points

QUESTION 10

If an ecologist is studying the cycling of carbon through a particular environment (which involes the movement of carbon through living things as well as through rock, air, and water), the scientist is studying at what level of ecology?

A.

organismal
B.

community
C.

ecosystem
D.

population
E.

biosphere

5 points

QUESTION 11

Which list is organized from smallest to largest level of organization of life?

A.

organisms, organ systems, organs, tissues, cells, organelles
B.

organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms
C.

organelles, tissues, cells, organ systems, organs, organisms
D.

tissues, cells, organelles, organs, organ systems, organisms
E.

cells, tissues, organ systems, organelles, organs, organisms

5 points

QUESTION 12

When examining the hierarchy of life, which of the following terms is most inclusive?

A.

biosphere
B.

population
C.

species
D.

ecosystem

5 points

QUESTION 13

The units of inheritance are

A.

evolutions.
B.

heredities.
C.

genes
D.

twins.
E.

metabolic activities.

5 points

QUESTION 14

Organisms that undergo asexual reproduction

A.

require another organism to reproduce.
B.

are usually very complex.
C.

produce offspring that are different from each other.
D.

do not require energy to reproduce.
E.

produce offspring that are identical to each other and to the parent.

5 points

QUESTION 15

All the living organisms in a particular area at a particular time make up a

A.

biosphere.
B.

community.
C.

biosystem.
D.

population.
E.

ecosystem.

5 points

QUESTION 16

The first step in the scientific method is to

A.

identify a problem.
B.

predict the results of an experiment.
C.

propose a solution.
D.

draw a conclusion.
E.

perform an experiment.

5 points

QUESTION 17

Young multicelled organisms usually start out small, then grow in size, and increase in complexity. This process is called:

A.

heredity.
B.

metabolism.
C.

development.
D.

evolution.
E.

heredity.

5 points

QUESTION 18

To maintain order within their cells and organs, all living things must

A.

carry on metabolism.
B.

reproduce.
C.

constantly change.
D.

be able to move.
E.

extract energy from sunlight.

5 points

QUESTION 19

Which of the following includes Highest levels of hierarchy?

A.

family
B.

phylum
C.

domain
D.

kingdom
E.

order

5 points

QUESTION 20

Fungi are classified into which domain?

A.

Archaea
B.

Eukarya
C.

Bacteria
D.

Fungi

1.

What is a method that some ecologists have proposed to protectspecies from extinction in the face of global climate change?

  1. natural attenuation
  2. assisted migration
  3. bioremediation
  4. mitigation
  5. adaptive management

2.

Why is it usually not possible to restore a community to itspre-altered state?

  1. It is not always possible to determine the kinds of speciesthat populated a community.
  2. Invasive species compromise restoration.
  3. Climate change complicates restoration.
  4. Evolutionary trajectories cannot be predicted.
  5. All answers are correct.

3.

How is ecological restoration different from restorationecology?

  1. It considers cultural and societal concerns.
  2. It does not rely on ecological principles.
  3. It cannot be predicted.
  4. It does not involve manipulation of the environment.
  5. All answers are correct.

4.

What is the goal of assisted migration?

  1. to help species respond to climate change
  2. to help species learn new seasonal migration routes
  3. to help migrating species avoid human-made structures
  4. to help native species tolerate restoration efforts
  5. All answers are correct.

5.

Which of the following might serve to enhance habitat in arestoration project?

  1. a dead log in a stream
  2. a concrete water control structure in an estuary
  3. removal of a dam
  4. an artificial nesting box
  5. All answers are correct.

6.

Biologists want to restore a region that experienced stripmining. How will bacteria assist in the restoration?

  1. They will restore the biotic parts of a community.
  2. They will enhance adaptive management.
  3. They will remove harmful metals.
  4. They will improve revegetation.
  5. They will remove the source of the disturbance.

7.

A barge has leaked a small amount of oil in the middle of LakeMichigan. What might be the best solution to clean it up?

  1. Add molasses to stimulate bacterial action.
  2. Leave it alone.
  3. Introduce engineered bacteria.
  4. Add microorganisms not normally found in the lake.
  5. Launch a comprehensive restoration effort.

8.

Before deciding on an appropriate restoration strategy for aparticular degraded ecosystem, which information would be LEASTimportant to have?

  1. the goals of the restoration, in terms of biodiversity andecosystem functioning
  2. the degree to which the ecosystem has been degraded whencompared to a reference ecosystem
  3. the types of species that were present before thedegradation
  4. the social, political and economic constraints on therestoration
  5. None of the answers are correct.

9.

A biologist works to restore habitat during a restorationproject. Which of the following might serve to enhance thehabitat?

  1. a dead log in a stream
  2. a concrete water control structure in an estuary
  3. removal of a dam
  4. an artificial nesting box
  5. All answers are correct.
  6. 10.
  7. Restoration ecologists want to restore a landscape to itsoriginal state before humans arrived and altered it, but they donot know what species of plants lived there historically. What isthe best alternative?
  8. Import plants from other ecosystems at the same latitude.
  9. Bioremediate the soil.
  10. Use plants growing nearby.
  11. Use assisted migration.
  12. Let nature take its course.

11.

Biologists begin collecting native seeds in a seed bank in aregion that experienced considerable alteration. Describe thebenefits of taking this action for the future.

  1. It is important to collect samples of native seeds for culturalpurposes.
  2. Biologists can use the seeds to restore other regions atsimilar latitudes.
  3. If the region is heavily altered, it may take time and multiplesteps to restore the region. Collecting the seeds while they areavailable ensures that the biologists can use them later in therestoration process.
  4. The see bank will promote the assisted migration of plants fromhabitats made unsuitable by climate change.
  5. All answers are correct.

12.

Although disturbance is often thought of as a detriment tonatural ecosystem functioning, one type of disturbance, fire, isoften used to restore ecological communities. In what way(s) canfire restore ecological communities?

  1. Fire is an effective way to "clean the slate" of the ecosystemby burning plants and sterilizing the soil so that appropriatemitigation and bioremediation plans can be implemented.
  2. In ecosystems where fire is a natural periodic event, fire cankill many non-native plant species while leaving native speciesless influenced.
  3. Fire can suppress the growth of competitive dominant plants,such as shrubs and trees, increasing the diversity of certainecosystems.
  4. All answers are correct.
  5. None of the answers are correct.